Wolves-Chicago gameday preview

Preview: While Cleveland remade its team around LeBron James by making three trades involving 12 players, the Timberwolves didn’t make a move before Thursday’s trade deadline came and went. They held tight to their most valuable asset — Oklahoma City’s first-round pick this summer — but that doesn’t mean they are done trying to make themselves better for the playoffs. The next market is veterans bought out by teams and made free agents, a list expected to include former league MVP Derrick Rose. He’s a Tom Thibodeau favorite and a likely candidate to be signed by the Wolves when Rose is waived after being traded from Cleveland to Utah on Thursday. The list of available players also is expected to include Joe Johnson, who almost singlehandedly led the Jazz to a first-round playoff victory last season.

Player to watch: Former Wolves G Zach LaVine missed this season’s first 42 games while he recovered from surgery on the anterior cruciate ligament of his left knee last February. This will be his 12th game back, and he has scored 20 or more points in each of his past three games, including a season-high 27 in Monday’s 104-98 loss at Sacramento. That was the Bulls’ seventh consecutive loss.

Injuries: Former Wolves guard Kris Dunn could play as soon as Monday after he has missed the past three weeks while under the NBA’s concussion protocol. G Cameron Payne also is out.